Accumulator

Abstract

An accumulator includes a tank, a refrigerant inlet port provided at an upper portion of the tank, a refrigerant outlet port provided at the upper portion of the tank, a dryer unit disposed in the tank at an intermediate portion along a direction of height of the tank, and a separating wall extending upwardly from the dryer unit and dividing an upper inner space of the tank above the dryer unit into an inlet side upper space located at the refrigerant inlet part side and an outlet side upper space located at the refrigerant outlet side port. The separating wall has a plurality of apertures formed in a scattered state for communicating the inlet side upper space and the outlet side upper space each other. The accumulator includes an oil returning tube having a lower inlet opening and an upper outlet opening. The oil returning tube is disposed in the tank such that the lower inlet opening and the upper outlet opening are located at a bottom portion of the tank and at the refrigerant outlet port, respectively.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An accumulator, comprising: 
       a tank;  
       a refrigerant inlet port provided at an upper portion of said tank;  
       a refrigerant outlet port provided at said upper portion of said tank;  
       a dryer unit disposed in said tank at an intermediate portion along a direction of height of said tank;  
       a separating wall extending upwardly from said dryer unit and dividing an upper inner space of said tank above said dryer unit into an inlet side upper space located at said refrigerant inlet port side and an outlet side upper space located at said refrigerant outlet port side, said separating wall having a plurality of apertures formed in a scattered state for communicating said inlet side upper space and said outlet side upper space with each other; and  
       an oil returning tube having a lower inlet opening and an upper outlet opening, wherein said oil returning tube is disposed in said tank such that said lower inlet opening and said upper outlet opening are located at a bottom portion of said tank and at said refrigerant outlet port, respectively.  
     
     
       2. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein a refrigerant passing space is formed between an inner surface of said tank and said dryer unit so that refrigerant introduced into said tank through said refrigerant inlet port reaches directly or indirectly said bottom portion of said tank through said refrigerant passing space, whereby said refrigerant is agitated in said tank. 
     
     
       3. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein said dryer unit has a semi-circular cylindrical configuration as seen from above having an upper wall, a lower wall and a flat side wall, each of said upper wall, said lower wall and said flat side wall being provided with a plurality of apertures for passing refrigerant. 
     
     
       4. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein said separating wall is integrally formed with said dryer unit. 
     
     
       5. The accumulator as recited in claim  2 , wherein said dryer unit comprises a cup-like cover member and a bottom lid member, and an opening of said cup-like cover is closed by said bottom lid member to accommodate a dryer agent therein. 
     
     
       6. The accumulator as recited in claim  2 , wherein said dryer unit is disposed below said refrigerant outlet port in said tank. 
     
     
       7. The accumulator as recited in claim  2 , wherein said dryer unit is provided with a leg downwardly extended therefrom for supporting said dryer on a bottom of said tank, and said dryer unit is disposed in said tank with said leg placed on said bottom so as to be lifted up from said bottom at a certain height. 
     
     
       8. The accumulator as recited in claim  3 , wherein said dryer unit is provided with a pair of fixing arms protruded therefrom, and is fixed in said tank by resiliently pressing said pair of fixing arms against an inner surface of said tank. 
     
     
       9. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein a ratio of a total area of said plurality of said apertures to a cross-sectional area of said refrigerant inlet port falls within a range of from 1.3 to 3. 
     
     
       10. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of said oil returning pipe is 20 to 50% of a cross-sectional area of said refrigerant outlet port. 
     
     
       11. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein said separating wall has an opening for communicating said inlet side upper space and said outlet side upper space with each other at a lower end portion of said separating wall. 
     
     
       12. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein said upper outlet opening of said oil returning tube is designed such that an angle θ formed between an opening direction of said upper outlet opening of said oil returning tube and a flow direction of refrigerant passing through said refrigerant outlet port meets a formula of 0°<θ≦90°. 
     
     
       13. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein said oil returning tube is disposed such that said oil returning tube penetrates said dryer unit. 
     
     
       14. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein said tank is a bottom-closed cylindrical member with a top opening closed by a header, and wherein said refrigerant inlet port and said refrigerant outlet port are formed in said header. 
     
     
       15. The accumulator as recited in claim  1 , wherein said tank and said header are made of aluminum or its alloy.